“Through the collaboration of the Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation and the Grants Office, we received this EPA grant, which will be a critical part of the ongoing revitalization around the Frankford Creek,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “I look forward to seeing the final plan and eventual revitalization of these brownfields sites.”

Gary Jastrzab, Executive Director of the City Planning Commission said, “The revitalization of this area was the focus of the recently adopted Philadelphia2035: Lower Northeast District Plan. This grant is the first step toward reusing formerly industrial properties along Frankford Creek in new and exciting ways.”

The former Philadelphia Coke and Rohm and Haas site, totaling 126 riverfront acres in the Bridesburg neighborhood, present economic development opportunities for waterfront redevelopment and community revitalization. “By comprehensively planning in partnership with the EPA, Bridesburg’s vacant brownfields can successfully be remediated and redeveloped with a dynamic mix of uses that will contribute to the city’s and region’s economic vitality” said City Councilman Bobby Henon.

Similarly, the former site of Edgewater Dyeing and Finishing presents a unique opportunity for creekside redevelopment in Frankford. “EPA’s investment in the Frankford Creek area is crucial for us to unlock the transformative potential of these brownfields sites,” said City Councilwoman María Quiñones Sánchez, whose district includes the Frankford Creek watershed.  “We now have the opportunity to replace environmental contamination and vacancy with new life and economic vitality, as we have done with nearby success stories like the Globe Dye Works and Amuneal Manufacturing.”

The rehabilitation of brownfield sites will also enable the development of the Frankford Creek Greenway, a greenway that would connect Tacony Creek Park to the North Delaware Riverfront.  “This planning grant provides us with an exciting opportunity to advance our trails, watershed protection, and open space objectives while connecting and engaging with communities on these vital assets,” said Michael DiBerardinis Deputy Mayor Environmental and Community Resources and Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner.  “We look forward to continuing to work with PCPC and other partners on this important collaborative effort.”

The EPA will award a total of $4 million to 20 communities as part of the Brownfields Area-Wide (BF AWP) Planning program, which aims to promote community revitalization by using cleanups to stimulate local economies and protect people’s health and the environment. Since the program’s inception, all EPA’s Brownfields investments have leveraged more than $19 billion in cleanup and redevelopment.

More information on the grant recipients: http://epa.gov/brownfields/areawide_grants.htm

“For the sixth year in a row, Philadelphians have stepped up to the plate and volunteered in the Philly Spring Cleanup,” said Mayor Nutter. “I am truly impressed with the passion and dedication throughout the city to make Philadelphia a cleaner, greener and safer place. Each year we hope to expand the cleanup, and I am proud to say that we did that this year with a record number of sites.”

Volunteers removed 1,014,540 pounds of trash and 23,341 pounds of recyclable material. This year’s cleanup continued with the theme “Keep Up the Sweep Up” to encourage cleaning efforts year round.

“I would like to thank all the block captains, neighbors, local businesses and community organizations  who volunteered their time and efforts in this day of service and to making the 6^th Annual Philly Spring Cleanup the best cleanup ever,” said Streets Commissioner Clarena I.W. Tolson. “The Philly Spring Cleanup begins the momentum for beautifying our neighborhoods all year long and to ‘Keep Up the Sweep Up’ to maintain a cleaner and brighter Philadelphia.”

2013 Philly Spring Cleanup in numbers:

General figures

• 565 project sites (the most projects ever registered for a Philly Spring Cleanup)
• 13,198 volunteers
• 65,990 service hours
• 1,014,540 pounds of trash removed
• 23,341 pounds of material recycled
• 6,834 recycling bins distributed
• 4,030 tires removed
• 17 Parks and Recreation Centers cleaned

Supplies distributed

• 37,000 trash and recycling bags
• 6,417 brooms
• 15,616 gloves
• 3,011 shovels
• 3,409 rakes
• 1,010 gallons of paint

In 2012, the Philly Spring Cleanup had 348 registered project sites and 12,115 volunteers.  1, 000,940 pounds of trash, 40,340 pounds of recyclable material and 1,800 tires were removed.

2013 Sponsors include: Dow, The Carton Council, BigBelly, Waste Management, Behr Paints, Covanta Energy, Republic Services, and ReCommunity Recycling. Dow, in conjunction with Behr Paints, donated 1,000 gallons of quality, high hiding exterior paint specifically designed to protect and cover a variety of surfaces found in the city.  The exterior paint, provided in a number of colors, including black, white, red and grey, was used to cover graffiti, paint curbs and refresh fences throughout Philadelphia.

2013 Partners include: Keep Philadelphia Beautiful, Philadelphia More Beautiful Committee (PMBC), Philly Future Track, Community Action Center of the United Way Southeastern Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, City Year, Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement & Volunteer Services, UnLitter Us, Philadelphia Recycling Rewards, The PhillyRising Collaborative.

For more information on the 2012 Philly Spring Cleanup, please visit www.PhillySpringCleanup.com

The new deadline is midnight Tuesday, April 16.  Tax filers have until then to file electronically or to mail their return with a Tuesday postmark.

“I commend the Sinking Fund Commission, which controls the investment of the Philadelphia Gas Works’ pension fund, for their adoption of the Sandy Hook Principles. In doing so, the Commission is using its economic power to send a very strong message that irresponsible corporate behavior will not be tolerated,” said Mayor Nutter. “On January 24, 2013, Philadelphia’s Pension Board took an important step when it adopted the Sandy Hook Principles, and I’m pleased that the Sinking Fund Commission voted to do the same.   I am asking all cities, states, transit systems, schools, colleges, universities, hedge fund and pension fund managers, venture capital funds, and all other organizations that hold investments with private corporations to review the Sandy Hook Principles and consider their adoption as part of your investment strategy. The power of our collective voice cannot be overstated.”

Benjamin F. Gilbert II, Board Chair of the Sinking Fund Commission, said, “Given the nature and severity of the gun violence prevention problem in our nation, the Commission thought adopting the Principles was the right thing to do. The Commission’s objective is to influence others to do what we believe is right, with the end result being an improvement in our communities.”

The Sinking Fund Commission was established by the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to invest money and to redeem city bonds. As part of its duties, the Sinking Fund Commission administers the investments of the Philadelphia Gas Works Retirement Reserve Fund.

The Sandy Hook Principles are modeled after the Sullivan Principles, a human rights and equal opportunity code of conduct for companies, which were developed to change the apartheid regime in South Africa. A copy of the Sandy Hook Principles is attached below.

“Those who try to extort or bribe public officials in Philadelphia should expect to be held accountable,” said Inspector General Amy L. Kurland. “With our partners in law enforcement, we will continue to bring these cases to light. We will continue to show that our officials are not for sale. The culture of Philadelphia continues to change for the better.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania prosecuted Martinez following a joint investigation conducted by the Philadelphia Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). PPA Executive Director Vincent Fenerty brought the allegations to the OIG and cooperated with the investigation from the beginning.

Martinez, 31, extorted $500 from the PPA in exchange for a video that, according to Martinez, showed a PPA officer offering to dismiss parking tickets in exchange for two bootleg DVDs.

Philadelphia, January 14, 2013– Mayor Michael A. Nutter and the Philadelphia Streets Department announced the launch of a new program called “Philly Future Track,” which will provide job-skills training and real-world work experience to 130 young adults in Philadelphia. Using service as a strategy to build civic and environmental stewardship, Philly Future Track will provide individuals with a paid position involving community service and other life and career building skills during a six-month period.

“Philadelphia, like many big cities, faces the challenges of unemployment and city cleanliness, which both have significant impact on the City as a whole,” said Mayor Nutter. “Philly Future Track is a smart strategy to address these challenges by investing in the development and job readiness of Philadelphia’s young adult population. Participants will gain valuable skills to prepare them for future employment while they engage in public service beautifying Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.”

This program will provide a temporary employment opportunity to participants who will assist with cleaning and beautification projects in key areas throughout Philadelphia. The program is designed to be a career readiness pipeline, providing the participants with enough resources and education to transition into full time employment, attend a 2 or 4 year higher education institution, enter into a vocational training program/school or be prepared to take the military aptitude test.

The participants were not previously enrolled in higher education and were unemployed. For three days a week over the course of six months, participants will work in teams on neighborhood beautification projects with direction from the Streets Department. The remaining two days are spent in the classroom, where participants will learn job readiness skills.

“Philly Future Track is designed to create stronger citizens who live, work and serve in their communities,” said Streets Commissioner Clarena I.W. Tolson. “By instilling self-sustainability and civic pride in Philadelphia’s young adults, they will be better prepared to take the next steps towards developing long-term careers, and in turn, improve the City as a whole.”

Philly Future Track is made possible by the partnerships of several city and community organizations. The City of Philadelphia, Department of Streets, Mayor’s Office of Community Services (MOCS), Philadelphia Organized to Witness Empower & Rebuild (POWER), Community Women’s Education Project (CWEP) and Community Marketing Concepts are all investing in the futures of both Philadelphia’s young adult population and the City of Philadelphia as a whole.

The Philly Future Track program is still seeking participants. If interested, please visit http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/future-track.aspx for more information and to learn how to apply.

For more information on the Department of Streets, please visit http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/.   For more information on MOCS, please visit http://www.phila.gov/mocs/.  For more information on POWER, please visit http://www.powerphiladelphia.org/.  For more information on CWEP, please visit www.cwep.org/. For more information on Community Marketing Concepts, please visit www.communitymarketingconcepts.com.

“Recycling is a cornerstone of my commitment to making Philadelphia the greenest city in the U.S., and it’s   one of the easiest things we can do every day to help conserve natural resources, save energy, create green jobs,” said Mayor Nutter.  “Participating in America Recycles Day in Philadelphia is the best way to celebrate the progress Philadelphia has made in recent years through City initiatives and programs”

Recycling in Philadelphia has made significant strides during the past few years, with more than 120,000 tons of recyclables collected through the City’s curbside recycling program in fiscal year 2012 (July 2011 – June 2012) – an increase of 137% over totals from just five years ago. According to the City’s Recycling Office and Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, Philadelphia’s recycling efforts helped reduce greenhouse gas the equivalent of nearly 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide during 2011.

“The program changes the Streets Department implemented starting a few years ago, including the switch to ‘single-stream’ and weekly pickup, have not only helped boost program participation, but also increase operational efficiencies,” said Commissioner Clarena Tolson. “Philadelphia’s ever-evolving recycling efforts are forging our way to become the greenest city in America.”

Philadelphia’s recycling efforts do not stop at residential curbside pickup. In FY12, approximately 2,000 tons of other recyclables including leaves, brush, and electronics were also collected either at curbside, at the City’s sanitation convenience centers or at special electronics and household hazardous waste collection events.

Other notable recycling and waste reduction opportunities that were initiated during the past year include:

• Distribution of more than 2,000 recycling bins to residents during the council district’s recycling days;
• Addition of beverage cartons and drink boxes to the curbside recycling program through a partnership with the U.S. Carton Council;
• Increased opportunities to recycle in public places through the City’s Big Belly recycling containers; and
• Partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department and Insinkerator, Inc. to assess benefits of using in-sink disposal units for food waste in two Philadelphia neighborhoods.

Since the inception of America Recycles Day in 1997, communities across the country have organized events in November to promote recycling awareness, commitment and action. Last year during America Recycles Day, some 2 million people took part in more than 2,000 events across the nation.

The America Recycles Day events set to take place in Philadelphia on November 15 include:

John B. Kelly Elementary School America Recycles Day Celebration

Location: 5116 Pulaski Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144

Date: Nov. 15, 2012

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Event Description: Recognition of recycling effort among 2^nd graders and remarks by Streets Department Commissioner Clarena I. W, Tolson

America Recycles Day Celebration

Location:  Liacouras Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19122

Date: Nov. 15, 2012 – Nov. 15, 2012

Time: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Event Description: A combination of student organizations and university departments will be tabling to raise awareness about recycling and waste minimization services available on campus.

Website: http://sustainability.temple.edu/

Rose Recreation Center America Recycles Day

Location: Rose Recreation Center, 75th and Lansdowne, Philadelphia, PA 19151

Date: Nov. 15, 2012 – Nov. 15, 2012

Time: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Event Description: Educational Event at Rose Recreation Center

2012 PHL America Recycles Day Celebration

Location: Terminal B-C Food Court, Philadelphia International Airport Terminal B-C, Philadelphia, PA 19153

Date: Nov. 15, 2012 – Nov. 15, 2012

Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Event Description: Promote recycling and environmental awareness through a variety of educational activities that are both informative and fun. Several exhibitors will also be on hand to help promote recycling at PHL and across the Philadelphia region. PHL passengers and employees are encouraged to participate in this event.

Recycling Bin Give-a-Way

Location: Frankford CDC, 4900 Griscom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19124

Date: Nov. 15, 2012 – Nov. 15, 2012

Time: noon – 5 p.m.

Event Description: Recycling education and bin give-a-way event.

Website: http://frankfordcdc.com/

Recycle Philly -After Party

Location: Fado, 1500 Locust St., Philadelphia, PA 19103

Date: Nov. 15, 2012 – Nov. 15, 2012

Time: 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Event Description: Celebrate Recycling Day 2012 with a drink, and a discussion on how to help restaurants and bars in Philly do a better job recycling.

City Council District Recycling Bin Give-Away
Date: November 17^th, 2012
Location: Councilman O’Neill Councilman’s District Office (District 10), Bustleton & Bowler St.
Time: 9:00am – 11:30 a.m.

For more information on any Philadelphia recycling programs, please visit the recycling website at www.PhillyRecyclingPAYS.com or www.philadelphiastreets.com/recycling. Residents may also call the Streets Department’s Customer Affairs Unit at 215-686-5560, or call 3-1-1.

Philadelphia, November 5, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that Philadelphia has been selected as a finalist for the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge, a competition created to inspire American cities to generate innovative ideas that address major challenges and improve city life – and that ultimately can be shared with other cities across the nation.

Philadelphia joined the “Elite 20” based on its innovative idea that re-imagines how cities’ can tackle urban challenges using entrepreneurial solutions in order to achieve meaningful change. Called the Philadelphia Social Enterprise Partnership (PSEP), this initiative changes how city government interacts with the private sector by engaging entrepreneurs in framing social challenges and seeking innovative solutions. The concept provides a new, sustainable model for urban problem solving with city government as an active partner, providing data and feedback throughout the process. PSEP will be run in collaboration with GoodCompany Group, the leading social enterprise incubator in Philadelphia.

Following a call for ideas, the Mayor’s Office of Grants led a rigorous process to narrow down the 80 solicited ideas. The process of winnowing was carried out by a panel of innovation experts who short-listed and shaped the ideas for the Mayor’s final decision. Philadelphia will now compete with 19 other cities across the country for the $5 million grand prize and one of four additional prizes of $1 million each.

“I am thrilled that Philadelphia has been selected as a finalist for the Mayors Challenge,” said Mayor Nutter. “Our goal is to solve major urban issues by taking a different approach than before. In Philadelphia, we recognize the new ways to engage with citizens and welcome the innovative solutions that they may have for some of the most daunting challenges we face.”

A team from Philadelphia will attend Bloomberg Ideas Camp, a two-day gathering in New York City in November during which city teams will work collaboratively with each other and experts to further refine their ideas. After the Camp, the Philadelphia team will have access to additional technical support to prepare its ideas for final submission. Winners will be announced in spring 2013, with a total of $9 million going to five cities to jumpstart implementation of their ideas.

“Congratulation to Mayor Nutter and the City of Philadelphia for becoming a Mayors Challenge finalist. The response to the Mayors Challenge was extraordinary: bold and innovative ideas were submitted from every corner of the country.  We look forward to welcoming the Philadelphia team to Ideas Camp,” said James Anderson, who directs the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies.

The 20 finalist ideas were rated on four key criteria: vision/creativity, ability to implement, potential for impact, and potential for replication. A specially-assembled selection committee, co-chaired by Shona Brown, Senior Vice President and head of Google.org, and Ron Daniel, Bloomberg Philanthropies board member and Former Managing Partner at McKinsey & Company where he is still active, helped select the finalist cities.

Mayor Nutter’s response to the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge is just the latest example of the Nutter Administration seeking new ways to engage and support Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial community.  Just last week Mayor Nutter launched Startup PHL, an initiative to provide seed-stage funding to Philadelphia-based startups and to support community-building initiatives and programs through a ‘Call for Ideas’.  For more information on Startup PHL please visit www.startupphl.com.

About the Mayors Challenge

Mayors of U.S. cities with 30,000 residents or more were eligible to compete in the Mayors Challenge. 305 cities representing 45 states across the country submitted applications by September 14, 2012.

The Mayors Challenge is the latest initiative of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Project, which aims to spread proven and promising ideas among cities. Other Mayors Project investments include Cities of Service, Innovation Delivery Teams, and Financial Empowerment Centers.

To learn more about the Mayors Challenge, visit www.bloomberg.org/mayorschallenge.

Philadelphia, October 10, 2012 - The deadline for requests for the second TreePhilly free yard tree giveaway program is Friday, October 19.  Philadelphia residents can request up to two free yard trees by calling 215-683-0217 or visiting www.TreePhilly.org.

“Thanks to the efforts of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Wells Fargo and the Fairmount Park Conservancy, more than 2,200 Philadelphia residents were able to request free trees to plant on their property and enhance their neighborhoods this past spring,” said Mayor Nutter. “The fall TreePhilly campaign is on track to be just as successful.  With only ten days left, I encourage all Philadelphia homeowners to call or visit the website to request their own free tree.”

TreePhilly, a campaign led by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PP&R) in partnership with the Fairmount Park Conservancy and with support fromWells Fargo, directly engages Philadelphia property owners, businesses and neighbors to plant and maintain trees. This initiative includes a citywide yard tree giveaway, through which residents can request a free yard tree to plant on their private property. Wells Fargo is sponsoring the yard tree giveaway; both Wells Fargo and the Fairmount Park Conservancy provide marketing and promotional support for the campaign.

This fall, property-owning residents in Philadelphia are eligible to receive up to twofree trees per address. Property-owning residents who apply for  free trees through TreePhilly’s fall program can select from a new list of tree species, including Sweetbay  Magnolia, Serviceberry, River Birch, Sugar Maple, White Oak,  Carolina Silverbell, Eastern Redbud, Black Gum, White Fringetree, American Smoketree, American Yellowwood and Sour Cherry.

Citizens can get involved with TreePhilly by planting and caring for trees on their property, volunteering for a tree planting event in their local park, or sponsoring community service days to plant and maintain trees. For more information and to request a tree, citizens can visit www.TreePhilly.Org  or call 215-683-0217.

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About Philadelphia Parks & Recreation

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation promotes the wellbeing of the City, its citizens and visitors, by offering beautiful natural landscapes and parks, historically significant resources, high quality recreation centers and athletic programs, along with enriching cultural and environmental programs.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets.

Fairmount Park Conservancy

The Fairmount Park Conservancy exists to champion the Fairmount Park system. Its mission is to work as a collaborative partner to lead and support efforts which preserve and improve Fairmount Park to enhance the quality of life and stimulate the economic development of the Greater Philadelphia Region. The Fairmount Park Conservancy fulfills its mission by leading signature capital projects and innovative programs throughout Fairmount Park; by developing and leveraging resources for the park; and by promoting the parks’ unique assets and contributions.

For more information, please visit www.myphillypark.org. “Like” the Fairmount Park Conservancy on Facebook at facebook.com/FairmountParkConservancy and “Follow” via Twitter @myphillypark.

Philadelphia, September 25, 2012 –The City of Philadelphia announced that it has received a 2012 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The annual award recognizes the country’s leading green power purchasers for their commitment and contribution to helping advance the development of the nation’s voluntary green power market. EPA presented the City with the award at an event held in conjunction with the 2012 Renewable Energy Markets Conference in Washington, D.C. on September 24, 2012.

“My Administration has made a commitment to generate 20% of electricity used in Philadelphia from alternative energy sources, as laid out in our sustainability plan Greenworks Philadelphia,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “We are honored to be given this award by the EPA in recognition of our efforts and will continue to pursue clean energy policies that benefit residents and the environment.”

The City of Philadelphia was one of onlytwelve organizations nationwide to receive a Leadership Award for its green power purchase.  The award recognizes EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves through purchases of green power from a utility green-pricing program, a competitive green marketer, or a renewable energy certificate (REC) supplier.  Philadelphia municipal government currently purchases 127 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, which is enough green power to meet 18 percent of its purchased electricity use.  The City buys renewable energy certificates (RECs) through PPL Energy Plus.

“EPA is pleased to recognize the City of Philadelphia with a Green Power Purchasing award for its distinguished commitment to buying green power and for taking a significant step to reduce the environmental impacts associated with its electricity use,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “The City of Philadelphia is helping to grow our nation’s renewable energy market and is a model for other cities and organizations to follow.”

Philadelphia currently ranks 36^th on EPA’s National Top 50 List, as well as 6^th on EPA’s Top 20 Local Government List.  Each list highlights EPA Green Power Partners that have completed the largest annual voluntary purchases through July 5, 2012.  EPA updates its Top Partner Lists quarterly at http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/toplists/.

According to the EPA, the City’s current green power purchase of 127 million kWh is equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of more than 17,000 passenger vehicles per year, or is the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power nearly 11,000 average American homes annually.

Green power is electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro.  These resources generate electricity with a net zero increase in carbon dioxide emissions, while offering a superior environmental profile compared to traditional power generation sources.  Green power purchases also support the development of new renewable energy generation sources nationwide.

About EPA’s Green Power Partnership

The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to buy green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with purchased electricity use. The Partnership currently has more than 1,300 Partner organizations collectively purchasing billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Partners include a wide variety of leading organizations such as Fortune 500® companies, small and medium sized businesses, local, state, and federal governments, and colleges and universities. For additional information, please visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower.

About the Green Power Leadership Awards

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) co-sponsors the annual Green Power Leadership Awards in conjunction with the Center for Resource Solutions. EPA recognizes winners in the following awards categories: Green Power Partner of the Year; On-site Generation; Green Power Purchasing; Sustained Excellence in Green Power; Green Power Community of the Year; Green Power Supplier of the Year; and Innovative Green Power Program of the Year. EPA’s Green Power Purchaser awards recognize the exceptional achievement among EPA Green Power Partners who distinguish themselves through green power procurement, market leadership, overall green power strategy, and overall impact on the green power market.  EPA’s Green Power Supplier awards recognize green power suppliers for outstanding efforts, initiatives and programs that significantly advance the development of green power sources serving the voluntary market. The Awards are held in conjunction with the Renewable Energy Markets Conference. For additional information please visit http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/awards/.